Effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Program on Knowledge and Practice Regarding Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Adolescents in Selected Schools of Kerala, India

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)has become a global epidemic with 451 million diabetics across the world and 69.2 million Indians. Kerala has 20% (1.24million) diabetics and 22.67% prediabetes from faulty lifestyle. Objectives: (i) assess and compare knowledge and lifestyle before and after intervention in control - experimental groups, (ii)find the relationship between knowledge and lifestyle practices in both groups, (iii) find if knowledge and lifestyle differ between rural and urban subjects (iv)  find the association of knowledge and lifestyle with selected variables. Methodology: Quantitative, experimental, control - experimental groups and pretest- posttest design; 80 adolescents in 9^th standards of 4 schools were selected randomly from urban and rural, Ernakulam. Twenty subjects from each school were assigned to control and experimental groups. Pretested, validated questionnaire and lifestyle inventory were tools used. Ethical clearance, school permission and assent obtained. Pretest was followed by STP to experimental group and posttest after 30days.  Data was analyzed on SPSS. Results: T2DM was present in (56.2%)families,(43.8%) had no DM. Knowledge about risk factors(81.3%), complications (51.3%).Significant differences seen between pre - posttest knowledge (p=.003**) and lifestyle (p<0.001) in experimental group after STP. Significant correlation (p<0.05) seen between pre - posttest lifestyle among experimental group. Rural subjects showed significant difference in knowledge and activity between pretest and posttest(p<0.001).Mothers education had association with knowledge and lifestyle (p<0.01) and occupation with lifestyle (p=0.12).Conclusion: Education is effective to enhance knowledge and healthy lifestyle. Proactive campaigns against T2DM should include mothers for successful prevention of type 2 DM.